1. Field of Invention:
The present invention relates to safety nets and, more particularly, is directed towards a slidable safety net assembly for an open pit.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Various types of safety nets have been designed for protecting workmen and other persons from hazardous conditions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 182,138; 3,527,319; and 4,856,615 disclose various safety net configurations specifically designed for use in buildings and buildings under construction.
Open pits, for example, grease pits, are used to inspect and work on the underside of an automobile. Rather than raising the automobile by means of a hydraulic lift, the automobile is driven over the open grease pit. A workman in the pit performs the necessary maintenance work, for example, replacing the oil filter lubricating the fittings and the like. Once the work has been completed, the automobile is driven away, leaving an open pit. The open pit is a hazard to those in the area adjacent the pit.
In order to prevent personnel from falling into the open pit, a covering of some type is placed over the pit area. The covering must be sufficiently strong to support anyone who might accidently fall into the pit. Solid covers, such as boards or sheets of metal or steel grids, are cumbersome and inconvenient to handle and store. Covering the open pit with a flexible safety net provides adequate protection, but it is a time consuming task to securely attach the safety net around the open pit each time that the safety net is put in place. Accordingly, prior art safety nets are not suited for use in situations in which the opened area is covered and uncovered frequently because of the length of time that it takes to cover and uncover the pit.
A need has arisen for a safety cover for an open pit which can be readily and easily moved between a covering position in which the pit is covered to an uncovered position in which access is provided to the pit.